OBJECTIVE: There is evidence that melatonin plays a role in the regulation of GH secretion. The aim of this study was to investigate the neuroendocrine mechanisms by which melatonin modulates GH secretion. Thus we assessed the effect of oral melatonin on the GH responses to GHRH administration and compared the effects of melatonin with those of pyridostigmine, a cholinergic agonist drug which is likely to suppress hypothalamic somatostatin release. DESIGN: The study consisted of four protocols carried out during the afternoon hours. Study 1: oral melatonin (10 mg) or placebo were administered 60 minutes prior to GHRH (100 micrograms i.v. bolus). Study 2: GHRH (100 micrograms i.v. bolus) or placebo were administered at 0 minutes; oral melatonin or placebo were given at 60 minutes and were followed by a second GHRH stimulus (100 micrograms i.v. bolus) at 120 minutes. Study 3: placebo; oral melatonin (10 mg); oral pyridostigmine (120 mg); melatonin (10 mg) plus pyridostigmine (120 mg) were administered on separate occasions. Study 4: placebo; oral melatonin (10 mg); oral pyridostigmine (120 mg); melatonin (10 mg) plus pyridostigmine (120 mg) were administered on separate occasions 60 minutes prior to a submaximal dose (3 micrograms i.v. bolus) of GHRH. SUBJECTS: Four groups of eight normal male subjects, ages 22-35 years, were randomly assigned to each protocol. MEASUREMENTS: Growth hormone was measured by RIA at 15-minute intervals. RESULTS: Oral melatonin administration had a weak stimulatory effect on GH basal levels. Prior melatonin administration approximately doubled the GH release induced by supramaximal (100 micrograms) or submaximal (3 micrograms) doses of GHRH. Melatonin administration restored the GH response to a second GHRH challenge, given 120 minutes after a first GHRH i.v. bolus. The GH releasing effects of pyridostigmine, either alone or followed by GHRH, were greater than those of melatonin. However, the simultaneous administration of melatonin and pyridostigmine was not followed by any further enhancement of GH release, either in the absence or in the presence of exogenous GHRH. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that oral administration of melatonin to normal human males increases basal GH release and GH responsiveness to GHRH through the same pathways as pyridostigmine. Therefore it is likely that melatonin plays this facilitatory role at the hypothalamic level by inhibiting endogenous somatostatin release, although with a lower potency than pyridostigmine. The physiological role of melatonin in GH neuroregulation remains to be established.

For answers to board issues, read the Suggestion and News forum at the bottom of the main page.

Wow, the subjects were 22-35 y/o males, pretty impressive. Melatonin is cheap as hell too. BTW, what can one expect out of boosted GH levels ? I always read posts saying that not much happens for muscle building, just good for fat burning.

Circadian rhythm is the "day/night sleep" rhythm, it's the one that gets fubar when you are jet lagged.

ManBeast

-Saving random peoples' nuts, one pair at at time... PCT info:
http://anabolicminds.com/forum/steroids/192992-pct-what-why.html
-Are you really ready for a cycle? Read this link and be honest:
http://anabolicminds.com/forum/steroids/191120-checklist-before-thinking.html
*I am not a medical expert, my opinions are not professional, and I strongly suggest doing research of your own.*

I've been taking 9mg melatonin every night for a few years, I've even gone as high as 15mg when I can't get to sleep. I've never noticed any effects of increased GH, & I still have difficulty getting/staying below 10% bf.

It's good to know that it may be helping, but I don't think anyone will notice the effects.

I did some research on this supp, that's why I bumped this old thread. I want to know if it is best to cycle melatonin, since it is a powerful hormone, like a steroid is and what would work best for a cycle if it applies.

I usually take 9mg a night, but take a few breaks (3-4) a year from all supps. When I stop, I do not have any ill effects from taking the melatonin. I started taking melatonin to help sleep, but I find my sleep has greatly improved in the past two years. I still take the melatonin though, maybe just out of habit at this point.

Ive heard melatonin is not good for anabolic hormones, over at bodybuilding dot com i dotn know how true this is. ive been taking it some recently. Its been a while since i read this and i dont have the source but somehting was said like it shuts you down, can cause libido problems.

Wow 10mg??!?!! Damn I take 3mg and it puts me out. It is an interesting study in the fact that it inhibits somatostatin, however, it seems it doesn't have much of an impact. The study states that when melatonin is taken alone it has very little impact.

However, if one were to take GHRP-6, Hexarelin, or GHRH (GHRP-6 and GHRH work synergistically), it seems it would have a much more profound effect, which is definitely welcomed .

Either way I love the way melatonin helps me sleep.

Here is another (and there are MANY MANY others that prove this same thing) that shows the anti-oxident effects of melatonin.

Source: Journal of Pineal Research, Volume 34, Number 3, April 2003, pp. 173-177(5)
Abstract:
: Radiation therapy is a popular and useful tool in the treatment of cancer. Melatonin participates in the regulation of a number of important physiological and pathological processes. Melatonin, a powerful endogenous antioxidant, plays a role in the reduction of oxidative damage. Thirty adult rats were divided into five equal groups. On the day of the experiment, groups I and II were injected with 5 or 10 mg/kg melatonin, respectively, while group III received isotonic NaCl solution. Thirty minutes later, groups I, II and III were exposed to 6.0 Gy whole body ionizing radiation in a single fraction. Group IV was injected with 5 mg/kg melatonin but was not irradiated. The final group was reserved as sham treated. Liver malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels were measured in all groups. Whole body irradiation caused a significant increase in liver MDA and NO levels. Hepatic MDA and NO levels in irradiated rats that were pretreated with melatonin (5 or 10 mg/kg) were significantly decreased. Malondialdehyde and NO levels were reduced in a dose-related manner by melatonin. The data show that melatonin reduces liver damage inflicted by irradiation when given prior to the exposure to ionizing radiation. The radioprotective effect of melatonin is likely achieved by its ability to function as a scavenger for free radicals generated by ionizing radiation.

I've found that taking a fraction of a milligram (by breaking a tablet into tiny pieces) is just as effective at inducing sleep as the larger doses without residual grogginess the next day. Whether such microdoses have the other effects cited in the articles of this thread is unknown to me.

Re: Melatonin stimulates growth hormone secretion through pathways other than the gro

Originally Posted by yeahright

I've found that taking a fraction of a milligram (by breaking a tablet into tiny pieces) is just as effective at inducing sleep as the larger doses without residual grogginess the next day. Whether such microdoses have the other effects cited in the articles of this thread is unknown to me.

Yeah I wish they would have studied it using less than 10mg! That is a heck of a lot of melatonin considering the back of my bottle says in bold print "DO NOT TAKE MORE THAN 3MG IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD" haha. 3mg does the trick for me but I agree I feel groggy the next day for sure.

[QUOTE=LakeMountD]Wow 10mg??!?!! Damn I take 3mg and it puts me out. It is an interesting study in the fact that it inhibits somatostatin, however, it seems it doesn't have much of an impact. The study states that when melatonin is taken alone it has very little impact.

However, if one were to take GHRP-6, Hexarelin, or GHRH (GHRP-6 and GHRH work synergistically), it seems it would have a much more profound effect, which is definitely welcomed .

I never heard of GHRP-6, Hexarelin, or GHRH, care to inform me or point me in the right direction.

Re: Melatonin stimulates growth hormone secretion through pathways other than the gro

[QUOTE=b_delgros]

Originally Posted by LakeMountD

Wow 10mg??!?!! Damn I take 3mg and it puts me out. It is an interesting study in the fact that it inhibits somatostatin, however, it seems it doesn't have much of an impact. The study states that when melatonin is taken alone it has very little impact.

However, if one were to take GHRP-6, Hexarelin, or GHRH (GHRP-6 and GHRH work synergistically), it seems it would have a much more profound effect, which is definitely welcomed .

I never heard of GHRP-6, Hexarelin, or GHRH, care to inform me or point me in the right direction.

Go to the IGF-1/GH/Slin forum. I have posted at least three long threads on each of these more recently. There is a lot of info and some studies on them in there.

Jminis- hahaha yea man, God forbid it have an effect that is related to muscle. I think after melatonin they might ban protein powder .

Shhhhh!!! Don't say "food" and "anabolic" in the same sentence.... big brother is watching!!!! now our phones are probably tapped and any minute now agents will be descending from helicopters busting into our homes and charging us with "sale of anabolic agents." silly government...

Re: Melatonin stimulates growth hormone secretion through pathways other than the gro

I don't understand why people take more than 3 mg. I knock out hard after 20 min. of taking it.

Claims, Benefits: Promotes sleep, counters jet lag, improves sex life, slows aging, etc.
Bottom Line: This human hormone may help promote sleep, but the evidence is still not definite. The other claims are unproven. No serious side effects have been reported, but long-term effects are unknown. Hormones are powerful substances and can produce unexpected results, so we don't recommend melatonin.

Full Article, Wellness Letter, May 2000:

Melatonin: Questions, Facts, Mysteries

Look on any website selling supplements or in any health-food catalogue, and you'll find melatonin recommended for insomnia, jet lag, arthritis, stress, alcoholism, migraine, and the signs and symptoms of aging and menopause—along with assertions that it staves off heart disease and cancer. Some people recommend "melatonin replacement therapy" for all postmenopausal women. But now that scientific research is catching up with melatonin mania, you may want to proceed with caution.

Melatonin is a human hormone produced deep in the brain by the pineal gland, dubbed "the seat of the soul" by philosophers in ages past. Discovered about 40 years ago, melatonin has been called the "darkness" hormone. Production rises at night, falls by day, and affects our internal body clock and sleep cycles. Melatonin has been assumed, logically enough, to have some use as a sleeping pill. Here are some questions, facts, and mysteries.

Does melatonin production decline with age?

The answer, until recently, was thought to be yes. But a new study at the Harvard Medical School of healthy people taking no medications or drugs found no differences in melatonin levels between the young and old. In earlier studies medications such as aspirin taken by older people may have suppressed melatonin levels. Melatonin levels may vary naturally in different groups; age does not seem to be the factor. Different people have different levels, and levels vary according to time of day.

Bottom line: If your body already produces enough melatonin, taking additional doses may not be advisable. No one knows what the long-term effect might be. And it's difficult to determine what "enough" is.

Is melatonin an effective sleeping pill?

Most scientists agree that melatonin helps people fall asleep faster, but it may not help them stay asleep. Like benzodiazepines (such as Valium or Halcion), often prescribed as sleeping pills, melatonin can produce a "hangover" and drowsiness the next day. Long-term safety is still a question. It's true, as one researcher puts it, that "no catastrophes have been related to its use" (such as the outbreak of severe illness caused by a similar "natural" substance, tryptophan, once sold as a sleeping pill). Melatonin is being heavily marketed as a sleeping pill, particularly for older people, but nobody knows if the dosages listed on labels are accurate or if the products are pure. Good clinical trials have never been done on melatonin treatment for insomnia.

Bottom line: If you need a sleeping pill, talk to your doctor. No known sleeping pill has proven safe and effective for more than short-term use.

Does melatonin alleviate jet lag?

Thousands take it for this purpose, but the benefits have never been clear. Various dosages of melatonin have been used in studies, making comparisons difficult. "Jet lag" itself is hard to measure. As reported recently in the American Journal of Psychiatry, a team of researchers devised a scale for measuring symptoms, and a group of Norwegian physicians flying between Oslo and New York were recruited as subjects. Melatonin showed no benefit against jet lag. If you're flying east, exposing yourself to sunlight the next morning is a pretty good treatment—most purveyors of melatonin suggest this, in addition to the pills. It's possible, though, that light is more effective than melatonin. You might be just as well off without the pills. Or maybe light works with the pills. Nobody knows.

Bottom line: The jury is still out on melatonin and jet lag.
Is melatonin replacement therapy justifiable for all postmenopausal women?

No. Some researchers think low melatonin levels cause menopausal symptoms, but they may be wrong. HRT (hormone replacement therapy) has been studied much more extensively than melatonin, but no one recommends it for all postmenopausal women.
Bottom line: Hormones are powerful substances that, even in small doses, can produce unexpected and unwanted results.
Is melatonin an antioxidant, and thus a protector against aging and chronic diseases?

A recent review of studies by researchers at Louisiana State University confirms that it is indeed a powerful antioxidant. But nobody knows what this means. Until we learn more, "the full potential benefits of melatonin must remain something of a mystery," these researchers concluded.

Last words: If you are taking, or thinking of taking, melatonin, talk to a physician—and one who's not selling melatonin. Having your levels measured won't tell you anything, since levels vary from person to person and from hour to hour. Chronic use of melatonin supplements may suppress the body's own production of the hormone. Nobody knows what might happen if you have high natural levels and take a supplement on top of that. Melatonin can interact with other hormones, which is why, in part, pregnant women and children should never take it. Such drugs as aspirin, beta blockers, and tranquilizers can affect melatonin levels. Finally, nobody knows what dosages to take. Products are not standardized. Thus, you really don't know what you're swallowing.
UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, May 2000

I don't use it very often anymore but last night I used it and I didn't like the type of sleep I got from it. It doesn't hit me for about a half hour or so and when it hits me, it hits me so hard it's so overwhelming. I know I'm trying to go to sleep but it scares me sometimes how sedative it is. I don't know....I guess it's just me. Then, for example, I fell asleep and woke up because I had to go to the bathroom, after I went back to bed, it took me a good 30 min. to go back to sleep. It felt like I had woken up just by going to the bathroom.

One thing I've noticed w/ melatonin is that it's kind of like trying to catch the train. I've taken melatonin and gotten on the computer for a bit and when I go to lie down in bed....it never hits me. It's like I missed the time frame where it was supposed to start kicking in. I don't know if that makes sense. I think for melatonin to work properly (at least for me anyways!), you have to take it and not do anything to strenuous or active. Lately, when I've taken it, I lie down to watch some T.V. or talk on the fone until it starts hitting me.

I know another thing I don't like about the melatonin is that unless I have 10 hours or more to devote to sleep, the next day I wake up with a hangover like the study mentioned. I guess that's how long it takes to wear off for me but either way, I hate taking something that's going to have me feeling the same way I would've in the morning if I wouldn't have taken it. I feel like not getting up either way cause I'm so groggy and tired in the morning but oh well. I deal.

I would personally never recommend it. I've personally gotten hooked on eating 5-6 slices of turkey before going to bed b/c I know turkey contains L-Tryptophan (I hope that's how you spell it) and it helps you go to sleep. I've gotten some great sleep doing that.